Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in an animal leash. More particularly, the present animal leash is a retractable snap-on leash that allows for the leash to remain on the collar at all times.
Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Domesticated animals, such as dogs, require exercise for health. leash laws in most communities are becoming more stringent and more routinely enforced, however, it is becoming less desirable to permit a pet to roam freely and unleashed. As a consequence, walking such pets while they are confined on leashes is becoming increasingly prevalent. The most common leash has a retractable cord that is attached and removed from the collar of a dog when the dog is being walked. The conventional leash and collar combination works well with many animals and in a number of circumstances, it may be inconvenient to use the separate devices in certain circumstances. For example, animal owners frequently do not desire to carry an additional object, thereby limiting their freedom of movement. When not in use, the owner is required to carry the leash, which can be a further inconvenience and the leash may also become lost or misplaced during or before the walk.
A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,253 issued on Jan. 6, 1965 to M. A. Galin discloses a Dog Collar with Retractable Leash. The retractable leash is for use with a domesticated animal for calming the animal in crowded or congested areas. This patent is a collar with an integrated retracting mechanism. The handle is essentially a dowel secured in a sleeve to keep the dowel retained. While this patent is for a retractable dog collar, the consumer must purchase the complete collar and does not have the ability to move the retractor from one collar to another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,766 issued on May 11, 1982 to Daniel T. Deibert discloses a Retracting Collar-Mounted Leash. The casing which is intended to resemble a scaled-down brandy barrel mounts an internal shaft on which is journaled a sleeve which mounts a leaf spring and a coiled leash which extends through a slot in the casing. While this collar can be installed on an existing collar, it lacks a comfortable handle for the user to grip when they walk their dog.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,247 issued on Dec. 19, 2006 to Charlotte Eulette et al discloses a Wearable Retracting Animal Leash. The retractable dog leash system is designed to attach to the collar of a pet and be permanently worn in this manner is small and lightweight, and comprises an ergonomic handle that fits neatly against the case when the leash is in a retracted condition. This patent does not have attaching mechanism that wraps around the housing to be more permanently secured where the animal can just rub against a surface to remove the leash.
What is needed is a retractable dog collar where the collar is securable and removable onto an existing dog collar. The retractable snap-on leash disclosed in this document provides the solution.